Citation:

Gloss, S., T. Grieb, C. Driscoll, C. Schofield, J. Baker, D.H. Landers, AND D. Porcella. MERCURY LEVELS IN FISH FROM THE UPPER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN (ELS SUBREGION 2B) IN RELATION TO LAKE ACIDITY. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/3-90/068 (NTIS PB90263484).

Description:

The accumulation of mercury by fish and the potential human health effects of eating mercury-contaminated fish have been well documented. owever, elevated mercury concentrations in fish from dilute, low-pH lakes have only recently been associated with increased lake acidity. evertheless there now is ample evidence to document that elevated levels of mercury are found in fish from lakes in remote areas with no known point sources of mercury and that an apparent relationship exists between lake pH and fish mercury level. he U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set an action level of 1.O ppm methyl mercury as the limit for human consumption. any state fisheries agencies in the United States have established advisories regarding consumption of fish with mercury levels that do not exceed the standard of 1.0 ppm, usually invoking a standard of 0.5 ppm. he World Health organization (WHO) standard is 0.5 ppm. orty-nine drainage and seepage lakes in the Upper Michigan Peninsula were sampled in conjunction with Phase II of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Eastern Lake Survey to explore the relationship between chemical and physical characteristics of lakes and mercury concentrations in fish tissue. he lakes were selected using a stratified random design weighted for low pH so that acidification effects on mercury accumulation could be evaluated. y coupling this study to Phase I, we were able to examine the role of chemical and physical lake variables on the assimilation of mercury by fish.

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